washington deer tag choose ONE

[longwalker]

Well if access a dictating what side you hunt ( it doesn't for me and I done necessarily agree with the stand point) then this should t affect you. Your not going to all the sudden need to hunt the west side areas you already don't have access to just because your need to choose a side. Go hunt east, the late buck blacktail hunters will appreciate it come November, I promise

[huntnphool]

Yup that's the knee jerk reaction. Now look at it from a management and quality stand point. I'd rather have quality than quantity

 The problem with your idea is most hunters here prefer quantity over quality.

I think they could have it. Seasons could certainly be extended after a study of hunter dispersion. I imagine white tail seasons could get pretty liberal

 You are assuming everyone wants to hunt whitetail.

Nope just using an example. Your never going to get the general late season you want in the methow no matter what changes are proposed. This would at the least make your draw odds better

You cited the whitetail season as a example, my point is those targetting whitetail in this state are a small percentage of the overall numbers. The vast majority couldn't care less what the whitetail season is.

 And perhaps you have not noticed the season change to the east side deer this year, but I just indeed did get the season I wanted.

[huntnphool]

Yup that's the knee jerk reaction. Now look at it from a management and quality stand point. I'd rather have quality than quantity

 The problem with your idea is most hunters here prefer quantity over quality.

I think they could have it. Seasons could certainly be extended after a study of hunter dispersion. I imagine white tail seasons could get pretty liberal

 You are assuming everyone wants to hunt whitetail.

Nope just using an example. Your never going to get the general late season you want in the methow no matter what changes are proposed. This would at the least make your draw odds better

You cited the whitetail season as a example, my point is those targetting whitetail in this state are a small percentage of the overall numbers. The vast majority couldn't care less what the whitetail season is.

 And perhaps you have not noticed the season change to the east side deer this year, but I just indeed did get the season I wanted.

[coachcw]

The problem with a permit only season though I like it is it would be for one udder group. If the tribes would manage along side the wdfw then it could work.if not I'd rather see general seaons

[TommyH]

Eroding hunter opportunity.

[Blacktail Sniper]

The problem with a permit only season though I like it is it would be for one udder group. If the tribes would manage along side the wdfw then it could work.if not I'd rather see general seaons

To wish for something like this to happen is reduckuless... 

[longwalker]

Eroding hunter opportunity.

more widely dispersed hunters, better quality animals (over time) and increased draw odds for special permits. huh? doesn't seem like it would be eroded. i would also contend that this would open the door for more diverse seasons by region ultimately leading to longer seasons. i would say increasing hunter experience

[Bigshooter]

Eroding hunter opportunity.

more widely dispersed hunters, better quality animals (over time) and increased draw odds for special permits. huh? doesn't seem like it would be eroded. i would also contend that this would open the door for more diverse seasons by region ultimately leading to longer seasons. i would say increasing hunter experience

if you are use to hunting all over the state then your idea limits opportunity.

[Karl Blanchard]

For the most part, Gringo hit the nail on the head.  Mule deer in this state are in a bad way.  We continue to see their numbers decrease.  Many are more concerned about being able to go to deer camp whenever they want, rather than being concerned about the deer themselves.  Almost every state in the west has recognized the mule deer's decline and adjusted to it accordingly.

I love having a general season in my home state, but if I had to be restricted to say, 4 gmu's, or one side of the state and one species, I would be fine with it.  The way I see it is, there is still a general season so I still get to go hunt every year, permit odds would get better, and hunter densities would most likely lighten.

I don't think any of this would be necessary though if WDFW would just address the elephant in the room, and thats predators!  We are a predator state, that is a fact.  We could do a lot for our mule deer herds by doing the following:



-Restructure Washington Department of Fish and WILDLIFE, into Washington Department of Fish and GAME!  We spend a majority of our license dollars on man power and resources for projects that have nothing to do with hunting and fishing.  That needs to stop!

-Put a bounty back on Coyote's

-Bring back both bait and hound hunting for bear and cougars

-Start hunting wolves.

We start making our agencies work for us, and control our predators, and we will have plenty of game to go around as well as trophy class animals.

[Gringo31]

I'm with BLRman....

Let's work to make it truly better.....not just suck less. 

[longwalker]

Eroding hunter opportunity.

more widely dispersed hunters, better quality animals (over time) and increased draw odds for special permits. huh? doesn't seem like it would be eroded. i would also contend that this would open the door for more diverse seasons by region ultimately leading to longer seasons. i would say increasing hunter experience

if you are use to hunting all over the state then your idea limits opportunity.

I agree that's the perception.And I go back to my origanal post that most hunters don't care about the over all betterment of hunting but instead what ever they want. As I posted I hunt both sides of the state from high buck to late blacktail. I'm willing to give up that ability for better hunting and draw odds.

[Karl Blanchard]

I'm with BLRman....

Let's work to make it truly better.....not just suck less. 

 

Too many people are looking at the issues of this state through the lense of "whats best for ME"  or "whats most convienent for ME".  The way I look at it is,  in the big picture, I really don't care about this season, or next season, I care about 20 season's down the road, when my kids are young adults.  Will I be able to hunt with them as I did my dad and grandpa?  Will there be enough mule deer then to sustain a season for them to be able to hunt?  I would rather see changes now to MY seasons, so in 20 years my kids won't see changes to theirs.  Something will eventually give, and if we just live with the way it is now because its better for ME right now, we will lose out in the long run. 

Colorado has a statewide permit system for deer.  TONS of opportunity for the meat hunter AND trophy hunter alike. 

Wyoming got rid of most of their late hunts because they saw their mule deer populations dwindling.

Nevada continues to maintain their restrictions on deer hunting but still allows opportunity for OTC tags and also has some of the best mule deer hunting in the country.

As much as I hate Oregon, they are permit for east side rifle but you can hunt OTC with your bow.

All these states have made some sort of compromise to ensure the future of mule deer and their hunting heritage.  Is it too much to ask of our fellow sportmen to give and take a little in this state?

If you restrict a weapon, I will master a new one.  If you limit me to a smaller area, I will work even harder until successful.  If you limit me to a single species, to save another, I will become a master of their ways.  If I have to sell my truck and ride a bike everywhere I go, just to be able to afford the tags, I will do so.  I will always fill my deer tags because I will learn, adapt, and over come any obstacle I have to to be successful, because I am a hunter and thats what we do!

Just so there is no confusion, I DO NOT think the OP's idea is the answer, BUT I do think we as hunters need to quit being so calloused to anything that isn't perfectly taylored and completely convienent to them and them alone.  We CAN have our cake and eat it too.

[Miles]

I think it's a bad idea.

 Here's my two cents...  Some people are looking for an "easy trophy buck".  Some are also unwilling to put in the work or take chances hunting new areas, so they would rather try experiments like this.   I believe the thought process behind it is to increase quality in "their area" and make it an easier hunt.

  I have traveled back to hunt WA every year since leaving in 2008 and I rarely see other people while out in the woods.   So to answer your question Longwalker, you can keep your name in the hat.  We still won't see each other.   I enjoy the freedom of being able to go where I want and try new areas for mule deer or whitetail.  It's what makes hunting enjoyable to me.

Now if you want to split the state into two states (east and west)... that's another story. 

[longwalker]

Make no mistake miles I've never not filled a deer tag and I'm pretty good at getting g away from the crowds. Do t worry you still sound cool but don't think Your the only one. The bottom line is deer hunting as a whole in this state will continue to get worse and seasons wil then get shorter due to the statistics. My dream is actually a state wide draw only system by area/gmu's. Start spouting that though on a site like this and your a full on Heretic . Like I said I see this as a compromise between the two. But honestly what ever could get the high hunt to >5% of hunters I'd fall all over myself to support . Because 90% of the guys up there have no business being there and just hunt it because who cares I'll hunt general when I don't kill a buck up here.

[Miles]

Make no mistake miles I've never not filled a deer tag and I'm pretty good at getting g away from the crowds. Do t worry you still sound cool but don't think Your the only one.

Wasn't trying to sound cool.  Just stating my opinions...oh that's right, yours is the only one that matters.

Have fun with your conversation, I hope you find what you are looking for.